The infamous Look Out Point high above the Tennessee River was not the sort of Civil War Battlefield I had expected. Nor was I able to appreciate the view of seven states from this spot.
I’ve been told you can see Tennessee below, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama in panoramic views. To me this just goes to show how ours truly is one United Country. From above; distinguishing one state line from another or better yet one political line from another, isn’t possible.
What did strike me about the battlefield was that the Confederates held the high ground, and yet somehow the Northern Army managed to crawl its way up the steep mountain, fighting every step of the way to claim victory in the end. It was from this seemingly insurmountable triumph at Chattanooga that Sherman began his bloody march through Georgia to set Atlanta ablaze. Today there is a monument on the site; the only one in the country, depicting soldiers from the north and south shaking hands.
While there is much to see and do in Chattanooga, it’s a city. A big city, and not at all our scene – especially drenched in sweat as we were after making our way around Look Out Mountain. If you aren’t from the south, summer isn’t the best time to visit. No, a nice light lunch and a boat ride up the river was about all we could muster.
I must say, the River Touring Company pulled the best bait and switch I’ve ever seen. Your boarding passes are chips like you would use on a big paddle boat to play a few games of chance. However; the beautiful paddle boat you see moored at the dock is not the one you will board for your river boat cruise. No, you walk through the bigger boat, and board a smaller less elegant vessel behind it. Your tour takes you away from the city, with glimpses of garbage barges and under a few bridges before returning. Yeah, live and learn.
One more thing – you are told to arrive 90 minutes prior to departure. Don’t worry about what to do for 90 minutes – the Big Paddle Wheel you thought you’d be boarding has a restaurant, several bars, pool tables and a huge gift shop all eager to part you from your money. Still, it was a fun way to waste a little time.
We did enjoy our lunch, complete with mini moon pies. I wasn’t in the mood to photograph my Bologna BLT, but now I wish I had. Oh well, that’s another “Southern” specialty I’ll be recreating soon.
Tomorrow we’ll visit a town that didn’t exist to the outside world until after the end of World War II. Sound interesting? Just you wait.
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